I wonder what some people are doing here

[audiodragon]

Sorry, I'm not a computer genius by far, but I really wonder why some people
who don't seem to know very much about computers in general are trying to
test a BETA version of an operating system.
Some of the questions on this newsgroup are frightening. If you don't know
enough about what you're doing, leave well alone! Good luck to the others.

 

[Guest]

LOL yeah, I got a kick out of the "How do I uninstall Vista?" posts. I mainly
blame businesses like microsoft. Everyone wants to make software so easy to
use.

If you want to install a disk drive, stick of RAM, take it to a tech. I
don't know if you ever installed hardware, but it is the most simpliest
thing. Read what the mobo supports and install. Mainstream people are not
asked to think/learn. Now the education is out there, but it's not 'Pop out
in front of your face' there. Which some people need, because some people
have 0% common sense.

 

[audiodragon]

"I like "I need to unformat my partition" and "I installed Vista on my
computer at my place of work, and now I'm having problems".
Personally I installed Vista on my work computer, but first I took out the
hard drive and rubbed the platters with a wire brush and then put it in a
microwave, to make sure the XP icons didn't jump from one partition to the
other. As they often do.
Sorry for my sarcasm.

 

[Tom Scales]

"I like "I need to unformat my partition" and "I installed Vista on my
computer at my place of work, and now I'm having problems".
Personally I installed Vista on my work computer, but first I took out the
hard drive and rubbed the platters with a wire brush and then put it in a
microwave, to make sure the XP icons didn't jump from one partition to the
other. As they often do.
Sorry for my sarcasm.

My personal favorite was the person who installed it at his small business
and then posted he couldn't print his invoices.

 

[Mark D. VandenBerg]

Oh SNAP! I missed that one. Perhaps I could have advised him.

 

[Wojo \(MVP\)]

Hence the reason(s) most of us that Beta test do it on a separate box.
I have a computer that I generally only use for Beta testing so if things go
awry it is no big deal to format and start over.
Why anybody install a Beta on a system that they are using for their
everyday computing with files that are not backed up etc... is beyond me.
-Wojo

 

[Mark D. VandenBerg]

I imagine that for more than a few who "thought" they knew what they were
doing, this has been a humbling experience.

 

[Wojo \(MVP Windows - Digital Media\)]

No doubt
Same happened with the SP2 Beta
-Wojo

 

[Chris Game]

LOL yeah, I got a kick out of the "How do I uninstall Vista?"
posts. I mainly blame businesses like microsoft. Everyone wants
to make software so easy to use.

And this is wrong because...?

 

[Chris Game]

Some of the questions on this newsgroup are frightening. If you
don't know enough about what you're doing, leave well alone!

On the contrary, MSFT could learn a lot from the queries Joe Public
come up with in their attempts to find a decent Operating System.

 

[Wojo \(MVP Windows - Digital Media\)]

On the contrary, MSFT could learn a lot from the queries Joe Public
come up with in their attempts to find a decent Operating System.

To some extent I agree but I think the point is that some of the questions
seem to be centered around basic computing skills.
If you don't have a good working knowledge of computers in general it is not
a good idea to install and run a Beta especially an OS.
I have computer skills and it took some time to get Vista 5384 up and
running correctly. Without those skills I never would have gotten things
going.
-Wojo

 

[Wendell A. Clark]

But on the other hand, its through trying to do NEW things that we all
grow -- and being ignorant isn't a crime, the crime comes in being content
to remain that way -- These news groups are for all levels of expertise if
you can help -- great if not --- leave well enough alone. The only stupid
question is the one unasked ;-)

 

[Wojo \(MVP Windows - Digital Media\)]

True I suppose.
I just feel that it is in the users own best interests to at least know the
basics before trying to take on something as big as an OS Beta.
I answer what many would consider "obvious" questions every day and twice on
Sunday without complaint I wouldn't have received an MVP award if I didn't
but if you don't have basic computer skills and you decide to run an OS Beta
then you are going to spend more time trying to figure it out than you will
spend actually "using" the product.
-Wojo

 

[Mark D. VandenBerg]

I agree. Being ignorant isn't a crime. Neither is being stupid. But the
ignorant can learn and become informed.

Witness the myriad of instances in this very forum of the same poster asking
the same question repeatedly and then not following the advice given.

This is the real elephant on the sofa.

 

[John Boy]

I agree. Being ignorant isn't a crime. Neither is being stupid. But
the ignorant can learn and become informed.

Witness the myriad of instances in this very forum of the same poster
asking the same question repeatedly and then not following the advice
given.

This is the real elephant on the sofa.

I wonder, based on a U.S. Supreme Court ruling
some years back, if it just might be illegal to
be ignorant. The Court did rule that ignorance
was not a valid excuse for violating a law, nor
grounds to plead 'not guilty' to violation of a
law. So, in a round about way, it is illegal to
be ignorant.

Stupidity is another thing, but apparently there
isn't a known cure for it.

 

[Mark D. VandenBerg]

Darwinism

 

[Guest]

Obviously because some people are under the illusion that public beta's
should 'just work'. Little lone the questions about uninstalling a OS. You
don't uninstall an OS, you reformat the hard drive. Easy to use software
gives regular people the thought that it all can just be made to fix, install
and uninstall easily. And since companies try to produce easier to use UI's,
or at least claim to, people have no need to think, they can just click a few
buttons and *poof* all fixed. I am under the belief that all people who
purchase a pc should take a basic pc course. You have to take flying or
boating courses before you utilize such entertainment/travel, why not using
ibm clones?

 

[Alan Simpson]

I don't know about the basic PC course. But I agree in that after reading
through these the only conclusion I could draw was that Microsoft should
never release OS betas to the public. The way people are installing and
using it, and the things they're installing are enough to make your hair
stand on end. Not to mention the totally unrealistic expectations,
presumptions, and beliefs.

 

[Chris Game]

I don't know about the basic PC course. But I agree in that after
reading through these the only conclusion I could draw was that
Microsoft should never release OS betas to the public. The way
people are installing and using it, and the things they're
installing are enough to make your hair stand on end. Not to
mention the totally unrealistic expectations, presumptions, and
beliefs.

But these are future Vista users and the largest segment of the
market, the nerds and geeks are a small minority who may think
completely differently from others. Interface and usability issues
need to be explored with the full population of users, not just OS
experts!

 

[Alan Simpson]

Yeah but you're not getting that kind of feedback here. All you're getting
is people trying to get old hardware/software to run, or trying to get Vista
off their system. I think the cost is too high, considering the problems
many of these users are experiencing. I think that on an OS beta it would be
wise to wait until and RC1 candidate or something.

Besides, their not going to change the interface because of anything anyone
posts here. It's too late for that. All these people are suffering for no
reason. We already know a lot of old stuff doesn't work, and won't work
until there are updated drivers and versions available.

It really boils down to the difference between an OS and an app. Beta
testing apps is no big deal. An OS is a whole different story. These
peoples' sufferings aren't helping this product, or going to change this
product, one iota.